Convertible male and female electrical connector



Jan. 16, 1951 2,538,296

CONVERTIBLE MALE AND FEMALE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR E. CROCKER Filed Dec. 50, 1948 Fig.5.

Fig.3.

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Gm E 2 Q l atented Jan. 16, 1951 CONVERTIBLE MALE AND FEMALE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR I Nathan E.Crcker, Goldsboro, N. 0; Application December 30, 1948, "Serial No. 68,108

v6 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in electrical connectors and more particularly to a plug having retractible prongs whereby the connector may be converted into a socket type connector or receptacle.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector including a hollow body having slidably mounted prongs therein for projecting outwardly atone end of the body to form a plug type connector and for retracting prongs into the body when it is desired to use the connector as a socket type connector to thus convert the connector from a male type to a female type electrical connector.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is strong and durable, efiicient and reliable in operation, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the idetails of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 isa perspective view;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view with the cover plate of the body removed and showing the prongs in a projected position;

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the prongs in a retracted position;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the leaf spring conductors;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the adjusting slide for the prongs; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of one of the prongs.

Referring now to the drawing in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates a hollow elongated housing of suitable insulation material and having a cover plate 6 removably secured to one side thereof.

The rear end of housing or body 5 is formed with an opening I for receiving circuit wires 8 which diverge within the body at the opposite sides of a spacing block 9 and which serve to hold terminal screws l0 attached to the inner ends of wires 8 in recesses H in the opposite side walls of the body 5. A pair of conductors I2 are at- 2 tached at one end to each of the terminal screws Iii, each of said conductors being composed of a pair of leaf springs 53 positioned in confronting relation with respect to each other and extending longitudinally in the body 5 at opposite sides thereof. The front ends of a pair of-conductor springs i3 diverge as shown at I' l immediately inwardly of a pair of entrance openings 15 in the front end of the body 5 and by means of whichthe prongs of an electric plug may be-guided into position between the V-sh-aped or diverging ends it of the conductors i2. I

A slide is is positioned for longitudinal sliding movement in'body 5 and is formed with a pin H projecting from one side thereof slidably received in a longitudinal slot l8 in the cover plate 6. A button it is suitably secured in the outer end of pin 11 outwardly of the cover plate forengagement by the fingers of a person to slide the slide it in the body 5.

A pair of lugs'Zll project from opposite edges of the slide it engaged by a pair of spaced apart lugs 24 at the inner end of a pair of conductor prongs 22which are positioned longitudinally in body 5 and held in engagement with the lugs 20 by the springs ls-of the pairof conductors 12. The front ends of prongs 22 are positioned for sliding in openings {5 at the frontend of the body into a projected or retracted position therein.

t the sides of prongs 22 opposed to their associatedconductorsfilZ, are recesses or pockets 23 in which'one of 'the outwardly curved ends M of conductors I2 are engaged tohold the prongs in an outwardly projected position, as shown in Figure 2, and to prevent retraction of the prongs when the same are inserted in a socket or re ceptacle.

In the operation of the device, thumb button #9 is moved longitudinally along cover 6, such movement of the button sliding slide block it in body 5 to project or retract prongs 22 in openings 55. When the prongs are projected into a position as shown in Figure 2, the connector is then ready for use as a plug for insertion in a socket or outlet and when the prongs are retracted into a position as shown in Figure 3 the connector is then converted into a socket type connector suitable for receiving the prongs of another plug.

When the prongs 22 are in either position the same are in constant contact with the conductors I2.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A convertible plug and socket type electric connector comprising a hollow body having a pair of socket openings in one end, conductors in the body in the path of the blades of a second electric plug inserted in the openings, a pair of retractible prongs carried in the body for movement into and out of a projected position in the openings and positioned in constant contact with the conductors, and means carried by the body for retracting said last mentioned prongs into an inactive position in the body out of interference with the blades of the second electric plug.

2. A convertible plug and socket type electric connector comprising a hollow body having a pair of socket openings in one end, conductors in the body in the path of the blades of a second electric plug inserted in the openings, a pair of retractible prongs carried in the body for movement into and out of a projected position in the openings and positioned in constant contact with the conductors, means carried outwardly of the body for retracting said last named prongs into an inactive position in thebody out of interference with the blades of the second plug, and automatic interengaging means between the conductors and the retractible prongs holding the latter in projected position.

3. A convertible plug and socket type electric connector comprising a hollow body having a pair of openings at one end, a pair of conductors recessed in the openings .of the body, a slide in the body, and a pair of prongs carried by the slide for movement into and out of the openings into either a projected position beyond the conductors or into a retracted position, inwardly of the outer ends of the conductors out of interference with the blades of a second electric plug inserted in the openings into contact with the conductors, said prongs being positioned in constant contact with the conductors.

,4. A convertible plug and socket type electric connector comprising a hollow body having a pair of openings at one end, a pair of conductors recessed in the openings of the body, a slide in the body, and a pair of prongs carried by the slide for movement into and out of the openings into either a projected position beyond the conductors or into a retracted position, inwardly of the outer ends of the conductors out of interference with the blades of a second electric plug inserted into the openings into contact with the conductors, said prongs being positioned in constant wiping contact with the conductors.

5. A convertible plug and socket type electric connector comprising a hollow body having a pair of openings at one end, a pair of conductors recessed in the openings of the body, a slide in the body, and a pair of prongs carried by the slide for movement into and out of the openings into either a projected position beyond the conductors or into a retracted position, inwardly of the outer ends of the conductors out of interference with the blades of a second electric plug inserted into the openings into contact with the conductors, said prongs being positioned in constant contact with the conductors and automatic interlocking means between the conductors and the prongsto hold the prongs in a projected position.

6. A convertible plug and socket type electric connector comprising a hollow body having a pair of openings at one end, a pair of conductors recessed in the openings of the body, a slide in the body, and a pair of prongs carried by the slide for movement into and out of the openings into either a projected position beyond the conductors or into a retracted position, inwardly of the outer ends of the conductors out of interference with the blades of a second electric plug inserted into the openings into contact with the conductors, said prongs being positioned in constant contact with the conductors, and friction locking means between the conductors and the prongs to hold the prongs in a projected position.

NATHAN E. CROCKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,516,581 Seufert Nov. 25, 1924 1,815,577 Nenzel July 21, 1931 1,897,323 Moorhouse Feb. 14, 1933 2,436,586 Mangold Feb. 24, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date,

642,767 France May 9, 1928 715,899 France Oct. 5, 1931 

